The Week That Was – Goalie Edition
Each week, CHL.ca goes coast to coast to highlight the top stories from around the league.
Cossa a draft day favourite
Standing nearly 6-foot-6, Sebastian Cossa is hard to miss between the pipes.
And there will be even more eyes on the Edmonton Oil Kings soon-to-be sophomore when the Alberta-based club returns to play later this month. One of 123 CHL players listed on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch report for January, Cossa was the lone goaltender to earn an ‘A’ grade, indicating strong first-round candidacy for the coming NHL Draft.
123 #CHL talents have been named to @NHLCentralScout's ‘Players to Watch’ List for January
FULL LIST 📋 https://t.co/UueVByEkls pic.twitter.com/bfBXMFiiCN
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) January 25, 2021
The rating is well earned with Cossa coming off a dominant rookie season in which he took command of the starting duties with the Oil Kings before closing out the year with a 21-6-2-1 showing. Across the board, the Fort McMurray, Alta., native impressed, ranking amongst the top performers in all major goaltending categories including wins as well as goals-against average (2.23), save percentage (.921), and shutouts (4).
“He has that big presence in the net,” Central Scouting’s Al Jensen told Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun. “He has very good net coverage while in his stance or when dropping in the butterfly and doesn’t leave a lot of room for shooters. When in the butterfly, he seals the ice and five hole with good leg extensions to protect the low corners. His confidence in his ability shows in his play. He’s got good NHL upside.”
Should Cossa hear his name called in the first round come draft day, he will be the first CHL goaltender to do so since the Dallas Stars drafted Jack Campbell (Soo Greyhounds) at No. 11 in 2010 in addition to the first Canadian-born product to earn first-round honours since Chet Pickard (Tri-City Americans) was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2008.
McLaren heads to Kingston
It’s a new beginning for Cole McLaren.
After spending part of three campaigns with the Halifax Mooseheads – including seven games in 2020-21 – the overage netminder is headed to the Kingston Frontenacs after being claimed off waivers by the OHL club on Monday.
The move comes after the Mooseheads needed to create an overage slot for fellow 2000-born netminder Alexis Gravel. With the shift to Kingston comes opportunity as McLaren takes over for Christian Propp, who closed out his junior career last season.
Extremely excited and honoured to be joining such a great program, can’t wait to get things started!! https://t.co/eW2pPEy0VN
— Cole McLaren (@mclaren_cole) February 1, 2021
“A huge thank you to the Halifax Mooseheads for the opportunity given to me over the past three years,” McLaren, a product of Annapolis Royal, N.S., posted to social media earlier this season. “(I) can’t give enough thanks to the staff, my billets, teammates, and the fans for all of the memories made and for letting me live out this dream as a local.”
With the Frontenacs, McLaren brings invaluable experience highlighted by a trip to the 2019 Memorial Cup Final, a season in which he earned a 16-2-1-0 showing. The stready hand now joins a club that counts reigning CHL Rookie of the Year Shane Wright, the projected first-overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft who wrapped up his first junior season with an astounding 66 points in 58 games.
Roy reaches the top
Patrick Roy has another record to his name.
Coming away with a 3-1 victory versus the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Saturday, the longtime Quebec Remparts bench boss picked up his 408th career win, making him the QMJHL’s all-time leader in that category with a single team.
Even more impressively, Roy needed just 687 contests to reach the high-water mark. Roy is also one of just seven coaches to record 300 or more wins with one team.
In all, the victory sees Roy surpass Benoit Groulx who reached 407 wins as head coach of the Gatineau Olympiques from 2003-16.
🔴 ⚫️ Patrick Roy récolte sa 408e victoire derrière le banc de #NotreÉquipe et devient ainsi l’entraîneur-chef avec le plus grand nombre de victoires en carrière dans la LHJMQ avec la même équipe 🤩
Félicitations coach! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/OlYIYLxmZS
— 🏆 – Remparts de Québec (@quebec_remparts) January 31, 2021
Now, Roy looks to chase down the all-time wins leader title with a lone franchise (467), which is held by Groulx whose coaching career with the Olympiques spanned stops in Hull and Gatineau. Roy is the only other coach to reach at least 400 wins with a single franchise.
A native of Quebec City, the 55-year-old Roy began his playing career with the QMJHL’s Granby Bisons (now the Cape Breton Eagles) that counted three seasons from 1982-85. He then went on to a decorated NHL playing career with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche that was highlighted by four Stanley Cup championships, three Conn Smythe Trophy wins as Playoff MVP, three Vezina Trophies, in addition to NHL Coach of the Year recognition with the Avalanche in 2013-14.
Roy has served as head coach of the Remparts for 11 seasons since 2005-06, marked by a Memorial Cup title in his first year behind the bench.